Studio Album · No. 2
Once Again Songwriting Credits by John Legend
Produced by will.i.am, John Legend, Kanye West, Devo Springsteen, Tom Craskey, Raphael Saadiq, Jack Splash, Craig Street, Sa-Ra, Dave Tozer, Ken Lewis, Jake and the Phatman · Engineered by Tony Maserati, Andrew Dawson, Anthony Kilhoffer
GOOD Music / Columbia Records
R&BNeo SoulSoul
100%
Authorship
Holds writing credit on 13 of 13 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 13 / 13 documented
Who wrote the songs?
Scored across the 13 tracks with documented writers, by whether John Legend carries a lyricist or composer credit.
13 trackswritten by John Legend
0 tracksoutside writers
John Legend's roles on this album
Share of the 13 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
Lyricist100%
Composer100%
Producer85%
Performer100%
By the Numbers
13
Tracks
25
Lyricists
13
Producers
2.5 million
Worldwide Copies Sold
2006
Released
Awards & Recognition 1
Best Male R&B Vocal Performance (Heaven) (2007)
Data Insight
On Once Again John Legend co-wrote the bulk of the material, working again with Dave Tozer and Kanye West while expanding his circle to include Raphael Saadiq, Sa-Ra, and Eric Hudson. The album leans further into vintage soul textures than his debut while keeping Legend's piano-driven songwriting at the center. 'Save Room' interpolates Mason Williams' 'Classical Gas' and was built around Legend's vocal and keyboard arrangement. The writing remains rooted in his own perspective, with co-writers supporting rather than supplanting his voice.
John Legend's second studio album, released October 24, 2006. A follow-up to Get Lifted, Once Again continued Legend's neo-soul sound while broadening his vocal range and lyrical themes. The album features contributions from Kanye West, Dave Tozer, and will.i.am, and earned Legend two Grammy Awards.
Track Listing & Credits 13 tracks
Written by the artist
Written by outside writers
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Save Room
#61
|
John Legendwill.i.amJessyca WilsonBuddy BuieJames B. Cobb Jr. | John Roger StephensWilliam AdamsJessyca WilsonBuddy BuieJames B. Cobb Jr. | will.i.amJohn LegendKanye West | John Legend (Lead Vocals) |
| 2 |
Heaven
|
John LegendKanye WestVaughn StevensAlexandra BrownJessyca WilsonMilton Bland | John Roger StephensKanye Omari WestVaughn StevensAlexandra BrownJessyca WilsonMilton Bland | Kanye WestJohn Legend | John Legend (Lead Vocals) |
| 3 |
Stereo
|
John LegendTom CraskeyDeVon Harris | John Roger StephensTom CraskeyDeVon Harris | Devo SpringsteenTom Craskey | John Legend (Lead Vocals) |
| 4 |
Show Me
|
John LegendRob BaconRaphael SaadiqEstelle | John Roger StephensRob BaconCharlie Ray WigginsEstelle Swaray | Raphael SaadiqJake and the PhatmanCraig StreetJohn Legend | John Legend (Lead Vocals) |
| 5 |
Each Day Gets Better
|
John Legendwill.i.amPamela SawyerFrank Wilson | John Roger StephensWilliam AdamsPamela SawyerFrank Wilson | will.i.amJohn Legend | John Legend (Lead Vocals) |
| 6 |
P.D.A. (We Just Don't Care)
|
John LegendEric HudsonKawan PratherJessyca Wilson | John Roger StephensEric HudsonKawan PratherJessyca Wilson | Jack SplashEric HudsonCraig StreetJohn Legend | John Legend (Lead Vocals) |
| 7 |
Slow Dance
|
John Legendwill.i.amEstelleMike LewisPoindexter | John Roger StephensWilliam AdamsEstelle SwarayMike LewisPoindexter | will.i.amJohn Legend | John Legend (Lead Vocals) |
| 8 |
Again
|
John Legend | John Roger Stephens | Craig StreetJohn Legend | John Legend (Lead Vocals) |
| 9 |
Maxine
|
John LegendOm'Mas KeithTaz ArnoldShafiq Husayn | John Roger StephensOm'Mas KeithTaz ArnoldShafiq Husayn | Sa-RaJohn Legend | John Legend (Lead Vocals) |
| 10 |
Where Did My Baby Go
|
John Legend | John Roger Stephens | Craig StreetJohn Legend | John Legend (Lead Vocals) |
| 11 |
Maxine's Interlude
|
John LegendDave Tozer | John Roger StephensDave Tozer | Dave Tozer | John Legend (Lead Vocals) |
| 12 |
Another Again
|
John LegendKanye WestJessyca WilsonGeorge Patterson | John Roger StephensKanye Omari WestJessyca WilsonGeorge Patterson | Kanye WestKen LewisJohn LegendCraig Street | John Legend (Lead Vocals) |
| 13 |
Coming Home
|
John Legendwill.i.am | John Roger StephensWilliam Adams | will.i.amJohn LegendCraig Street | John Legend (Lead Vocals) |
Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 36 contributors
JL
John Legend
Writer · Producer · Vocals
JR
John Roger Stephens
Writer
W
will.i.am
Writer · Producer
JW
Jessyca Wilson
Writer
WA
William Adams
Writer
KW
Kanye West
Writer · Producer
E
Estelle
Writer
ES
Estelle Swaray
Writer
KO
Kanye Omari West
Writer
DT
Dave Tozer
Writer · Producer
EH
Eric Hudson
Writer · Producer
RS
Raphael Saadiq
Writer · Producer
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Frequently Asked Questions Once Again
Did John Legend write Once Again himself?
John Legend co-wrote the majority of Once Again, collaborating with Dave Tozer, Kanye West, Raphael Saadiq, and others. He is credited as a writer and producer throughout the album. The songwriting stays centered on his own piano-led compositions.
Who produced John Legend's Once Again?
Once Again was produced by a group that included Kanye West, John Legend, Dave Tozer, will.i.am, Raphael Saadiq, Sa-Ra, and Eric Hudson. The production pushed Legend's sound toward vintage soul. Legend co-produced several of the tracks himself.
What was the first single from Once Again?
'Save Room' was the lead single from Once Again, released in August 2006. It peaked at number 61 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song interpolates Mason Williams' 'Classical Gas.'
Did Heaven by John Legend win a Grammy?
'Heaven' won the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in 2007. It was Legend's second consecutive win in that category. The song was released as a single from Once Again.
How many copies did Once Again sell?
Once Again sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide by September 2007. It debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200 with about 231,000 first-week copies. The RIAA certified it Platinum in December 2006.
Was Once Again certified Platinum?
Yes, the RIAA certified Once Again Platinum on December 5, 2006, for shipments exceeding one million units in the United States. The certification came just weeks after the album's release. It was Legend's second consecutive Platinum album.
What genre is John Legend's Once Again?
Once Again is an R&B and neo soul album with a strong classic soul influence. It moves further toward vintage soul textures than Legend's debut. His piano-based songwriting remains the foundation of the record.